Gate for glass tanks



Feb. 9, 1926. 1,572,481

H. K. HITCHCOCK GATE FOR GLASS TANKS Filed Feb. 16, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet1 i //v 145N701? A WW Who 9 1926,

V 1,572,481 H. K. HITCHCOCK GATE FOR GLASS TANKS Filed Feb. 16, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 2 14 FIEJL Patented F 9, i225.

itihit'iEl), STATES 1,572,481" PAQTENT OFFICE.

HAIJBIERT K. HITCHCOCK, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO IITTS-EUR GH PLATE GLASS COMPANY, A (FPRPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA;

GATE FOR GLASS TANKS."

Application filed February 16, 1924. Serial No. 6 93248.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, HALBER'1 K. Hrrcu-(700K, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, inthe county of o Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have made a new anduseful invention in III]- proven'ients in. a Gate for Glass Tanks, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a water cooled I gate for shutting off the Howof glass from a glass tank? such as x is used for the continuousformation of a ribbon of glass. It has for its principal objects: theprovision of an improved form of gate, (1) which will last indefinitely,and which will not contaminate the glass, such as is the case with theclay gates as heretofore used and which often become broken in thecourse of use and portions thereof fall into the glass; (2) which willhave a minimum chilling eli'ect on the body.

of glass back of the gate; and (3) in which the metal portion of thegate lying above the glass will be well protected from the heat of thefurnace to the rear of the gate. Certain embodiments of the inventionare illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical section through the forward end of a melting tankon the line I--I of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the lineTI'H of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line Ill-J11 of Fig. 2. Fig.i is a partial end view of the gate. And Figs. 5 and 6 are detailsections illustrating a modified form of gate, Fig. 5 be ing a vertical.section through the gate and Fig. 6 being a partial transverse sectionon the line "VIVT of Fig. 5.

Referring 'to the arrangement of Figs. 1, 3, 1 is the forward end of themelting tank, which is preferably of the regenerative type and carries abath of molten glass 2. The front wall of the tank consists of the lowerfixed portion 3 and an upper movable portion "t of clay surrounded by asupporting framework 5 of channel irons. The framework 5 carries an eye6 by means of which the part 4% is supported above, and by means ofwhich, it may be removed and replaced by'the use of an overhead crane.This part at is c .ped up tightly against "nt of the it: by means ofsecuring The wall is the i rapaand bolts, not shown.

rovided with an outlet slot 7, opposite lin) 'itate the li which is apair of water cooled driven rolls 8 and 9 for giving the continuousribbon, which .is produced, a uniform thickness. The ribbon of glass 10which is produced passes over a series of cooled rollers 11 and into aleer where the glass is annealed. The upper wall or crown 12 of thefurnace is provided with a transverse slot in which is mounted the gateor shear cake to which the present inventionparticularly relates.

This gate consists of a lower water cooled part 13 and an upper artmade-up of refractory material sucli as the bricks 14. The part 13 ispreferably made otheat re- 'sisting metal such as nichrome, the sides ofwhich are supported .by the stay bolts 15". The sides of'the part 13taper from the up per side of the part or member downward as illustrated'11 Figs. 1 and 2 in order to facilfi ting of the gate after it has beenseated in the glass. When in lowered position, the bottom of the member13 rests upon the top of the wall section 3, while the lower frontportion of the member rests against the shoulder 16 of the movable wallpart 4. The gate is supported by means of the pipes 17 18, 19, 20 and21, which also act as conduits for the water employed in coolihg thegate. The pipes 17, 19 and 21 extend down relativelyclose to the bottomof the member'lB as indicated in Fig. 2, and constitute the inlets forthe water, while the pipes 18 and 20 terminate at the top of the member13 and act as the outlets, water being conducted to and from the variouspipes by means of the flexible connections 22. The pipes are provided attheir upper ends with the eye members 23 which are engaged by the bolts24.- and these bolts extend through the bridge 25, preferably made inthe form of a pipe. The bolts are threaded and provided with nuts asindicated, and

the bridge is supported from the" chains 26 and 27 whose lower ends areattached to plug members 28 carried by the ends of the bridge.

The outer pipes 17 and 21 are provided with tongues 29 (Fig. 3)projecting from their outer sides, and the outer rows of bricks aresuitably grooved to fit over these I tongues so that such bricks aresecurely held in position. The four rows of bricks intor-mediate theouter pipes 17 and 21 are grooved at their edges, as indicated in Fig.

bricks interlock, security of the structure.

3. so that tl'icy fit arounl the pipes and are also securely held inposition. The bricks are also provided. with tongues 30 extending"longitudinally of their upper faces, as'indicated in Fig. 4, and alsowith correspond. ing grooves on their lower sides so that the stillfurther adding to the A metal plate 31 extends longitudinally of thegate in engagement witlrthc top row of bricks and this plate is clampeddown in position by means of nuts 32 so that the brick work is clampedbetween the plate'and the water cooled member 13. e

1 'When it is desired to shut oil the flow of glass through the slot 7,the gate is lowered from the position illustrated so that its lower facecomes into contact with the top of the section 3, or closely adjacentthereto, thus stopping the flow of glass. At this time, the upper edgeof the member 13comes at or closely adjacent to the surface of the glassbath 2. The tOIllPGlililll'B of the member 13 is such that the glass incontact with it is solidified, and as glass is a relatively poorconductor, this socket of chilled glass protects the incmber 13 from therelatively high temperature of the mol ten glass anclhprevents any greatamount of chilling of t e molten bath. The chilling of the thin layer ofglass between the member 13 and the clay parts 3 and 16 and also betweenthe end walls of the member 13 and the side walls of the furnace closesthe spaces between these parts, so that a tight seal issecured and noleakage of glass occurs past the gate after it is once seated inposition When it is desired to lift the 'ate,

i" this is easily accomplished as the glass does not adhere to the watercooled member 13 and it is free to be moved upward because of itstapering shape.

The brick work 14 protects the pipes 17. to 21 from the action of theheat of the furnace above the surface of the glass and prevents thispart of'the gate from unduly chilling the glass back of the gate, suchas would be the case if the brick work were not employed or it themember 13, instead of terminating at the surface of the glass, extendedupwardly to the crownof the furnace, in the latter case, the upperportion of the gate above the surface of the glass subjected to a degreeof heat lending to produce strain and. fracture, while the presentstructure entirely avoids dillicultics of this clan-actor.

and (3 show an alternative gate structure for scouring the sameadvantages as those secured by the construction of Figs. 1 to 3. In thisform of gate, the water cooled shear cake comprises a lower portion 2&3and an upper portion 3% with a shoulder 35 at the juncture of the twoparts, which shoulder acts as a supportfor the protecting brick work 36.The gate is supported and water cooled in the same manner as theconstruction of Figs. 1 to 3, namely, by the MSG pt the pipes 37 whichact as conduits ./for the cooling fluid. In order to hold the bI'iCKS inposition, the wall of the part is rovided with thetongues 38 and 39-as,;indi 'ated in Fig. (3, and the bricks, are correspondingly groovedto engage these tongues, the bricks being assembled by slipping thcmover the tongues at the top of the member 34 and sliding them down untilthey arrive at their proper positions. In. use, this form of gate issubmerged to a point such that the shoulder 35 lies at, or very closeto. the surface ofthc glass. The brick work 36 rotects the part 34; ofthe gate from the intense heat of the furnace above the surface of theglass and serves to prevent the gate from unduly chilling the surface ofthe glass lying to the rear of the gate, such as would be the case ifthe brick work 36 were not employed.

l/Vhat I claim is: i

1. The combination with a melting tank having an outlet at its forwardend, of a gate mounted for verticalmovement through the top of the tank,and adapted when lowered-to cut off the flow of g ass to said outlet,said gate comprising a, lower water cooled portion and a portion ofrefractory material lying thereabove. v

2. The combination with a meltin tank having an outlet at its forward enof a gate mounted for vertical movement through the top of the tank,cred to cut olfthe flow of glass to id outlet, said gate comprising alower water cooled portion adapted to be submerged in the glass when thegate is lowered to out off position, and a refractory portion lyingabove the surface of the glass when the gate is in such position.

3. The combination with a melting tank having an out-let at its forwardend, of a and adapted when low-- gate mounted for vertical movementthrough having an outlet at its forward end, of agate mounted forvertical movement through the top of the tank, and adapted when l. Thecombination with a melting tank lowered to cut off the flow of glass tosaid outlet, said gate comprisinga lower water cooled portion, metalsupporting means ex tending upward from said lower portion, andrefractory protect] g 11mins surrounding said supporting means andextending upward from said lower portion.

5. The combination with a melting tank having an outlet at its forwardend, of a. gate mounted for Vertical movement through the top ot thetank. and adapted when lowered to cut oil the dew of glass to saidoutlet, said gate comprising a lower watercooled portion, hoilow metalsupporting means extending upward fromflsaid lower portion and acting esconduits for circulat ing water to and from said lower portion andrefractory protecting means surrounding said supporting means andextending u 'iward from said lower portion.

(3. The combination with a melting tank having an outiet at its forwardend, of a gate mounted for vertical movement through the top of thetank, and adapted when low ered to cut off the flow of glass to saidoutlet, said gate comprising a lower water cooled portion lying, when inlowered position, with its upper edge at the level of the glass, aplurality of supporting pipes extending upward from said lower portionto a point outside the furnace, and adapted to act as conduits forcirculating water to and from said lower portion, and refractory meanssurrounding the pipes and constituting, the upper portion of the gate.

7. The combination with a melting tank having an outlet at its forwardend, of a gate mounted for vertical movement through the top of thetank. and adapted when lowered to cut off the flow of glass to saidoutlet, said gate comprising a lower Water cooled portion lying, when inlowered posi- .tion, with its upper edge at the level of the glass, aplurality of supporting pipes extending upward from said lower portionto a point outside the furnace, and adapted to act as conduits forCirculating water to and from said lower portion, and an upper gateportion of brick work supported on said lower portion and surroundingsaid pipes.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 14th dayof February,1924.

HALBERT K, HITGHCOGK.

